A Systematic Review of Length of Stay Linked to Hospital-Acquired Falls, Pressure Ulcers, Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections, and Surgical Site Infections.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review hospital length of stay (LOS) associated with falls, pressure ulcers, central line-associated bloodstream infections, and surgical site infections and their potential differences before and after the implementation of the hospital-acquired condition (HAC) reduction program (HACRP).

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases from January 1, 2000, to May 26, 2024, for studies examining LOS and health care costs in patients with any of the 4 HACs. Studies included prospective and retrospective cohorts and case-control designs across various clinical settings.

RESULTS

Fifty studies involving 45,080,370 patients admitted for medical and surgical conditions met the inclusion criteria, with 1,939,151 patients experiencing 1 or more HACs. Length of stay increased by an average of 5.2 days for falls, 12.9 days for pressure ulcers, 22.1 days for central line-associated bloodstream infections, and 7.9 days for surgical site infections. After HACRP implementation, LOS for falls increased by 4.9 days, whereas LOS for pressure ulcers decreased by 39.1 days.

CONCLUSION

This systematic review presents detailed data on excess LOS for 4 selected HACs across medical, surgical, intensive care unit, and rehabilitation settings over the past 25 years. The varying impact of HACRP on different HACs highlights the need for targeted prevention strategies.